Bellevue Public Schools is hoping their bus cameras will stop unsafe driving

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Updated: 6:42 PM CDT Aug 14, 2017

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WEBVTT KETV NEWSWATCH 7'S CAMILA ORTIHAS TONIGHT'S BIG STORREPORTER: THIS IS WHAT BUSDRIVERS HOPE EVERY DROP OFFLOOKS LIKE.STUDENTS SAFELY EXITING.AS OTHER DRIVERS WAIT.>> AND HERE COMES THE CAR.MIGHT JUST WANT TO DO A HARD CWHERE YOU CAN SEE CAR DRIVING BYTO AVOID THE ZOOM.>> BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THECASE>> PUT THIS SOUND OVER TBELLEVUE PUBLIC SCHOOLSTRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR RICHCASEY WATCHES VIOLATION AFTERVIOLATION CAUGHT ON CAMERA..1 OF HIS DISTRICT'S BUSESEQUIPPED WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TOCATCH DISTRACTED DRIVEYOU CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATIONYOU NEED.THE SOFTWARE AUTOMATICALLYUPLOADING INFORMATION LIKELOCATION AND PLATE NUMBER IF THESENSORS PICK UP MOVEMENT WHILETHE BUS IS STOPPED.>> THE DISTRICT ALSO TESTING OUTTWO NEW BUSS WITH TWO STOP BARSTO HELP TO SEE IF THAT WILLREDUCE VIOLATION.>> ANTICIPATE THING CAUGHT ONCAMERAS TURNED OVER TO POLICE.THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS NOT ACITATION, IT IS TO EDUCATE THEPUBLIC AND KEEP KIDS SAFE.>> THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE ONLYHAVE ONE REPEAT PHONE ARE IN TWOYEARS.

Bellevue Public Schools: Bus stop arms not stopping drivers

Bellevue Public Schools is hoping their bus cameras will stop unsafe driving

Bellevue Public Schools is hoping bus cameras will discourage drivers from driving around school buses at bus stops.

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BPS Transportation Director Rich Casey says the system, donated by Radio Engineering Industries, has equipped 12 buses with eight cameras and sensors that can detect when a vehicle is driving past while the stop arm is initiated.

"These cameras will capture four lanes over, at 70 miles per hour, in pitch dark," Casey said.

The technology was donated two years ago, and the data will be used in a report that will be published some time next year, Casey said.

Last school year, the district recorded 187 violations, 114 of which were captured by the stop arm cameras.

In the first three days of the 2017-2018 school year, the cameras have recorded eight violations.

Casey says the cameras are so advanced, you can even make out the drivers' faces and emotions in some cases.

"You have those who you can actually see on their cell phones, appear to be texting," Casey said.

Bus drivers like Mark Ofsanik say the cameras are a huge help.

"We are trying to mentally record the information but it happens so fast sometimes that you can't get all the information you need," Ofsanik said.

The program automatically downloads the location of the violation, and captures the offending vehicle's license plate.

BPS is only one of three school districts in the country chosen to test out the program.

Casey says his district is also currently trying out two buses that have two stop arms- one near the front and one in the back- to see if that would reduce violations.

If Casey determines that the cameras have captured a stop arm violation, he says the information is passed along to police. But he says the ultimate goal isn't to land somebody a citation, it's to raise awareness and keep kids safe.

"Good news is we've only had one repeat offender in two years, so I think that message does get out," Casey said.

Out of the 187 violations last year, only one citation was issued. Casey says he's interested in speaking with lawmakers about getting legislation drafted that would make it easier for authorities to use third party surveillance to prosecute offenders.